TNPA East London opens Foreshore for fishing

Apr 13, 2019

West Bank Foreshore Open to Fishing April 2019

East London - From 06h00 on Monday, the angling community of East London can look forward to enjoying their favourite pastime from another prized location in the Port of East London, as Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) re-opens a section of the Foreshore for public fishing between the hours of 06:00 and 18:00.

This comes after ongoing engagements with the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality (BCMM) and the Buffalo City Association of Salt Water Anglers (BCASA).

East London Port Manager, Sharon Sijako, said TNPA was pleased to be able to offer another safe and convenient site for fishing enthusiasts.

“We’re grateful to the BCMM and BCASA for our constructive engagements to date which have enabled TNPA to ease some of the restrictions on fishing in the port, without compromising safety and security of the port, port users and operations. This is in line with our vision of being a People’s Port.

“In May 2018 we were able to re-open the Orient Pier to the fishing fraternity in a joint agreement with the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality, who administers the Orient Beach. The re-opening of the Foreshore will initially run as a three-month trial to ensure all goes according to plan and we’re calling on the angling community to be responsible in its use of the site.”

Permits to fish at the Foreshore will be available from TNPA

Fishermen also currently make use of the site adjacent to the West Bank side of the Buffalo Bridge.

Permits to fish at the Foreshore will be available from TNPA at R50 per person. BCASA will facilitate the completion of indemnity forms, assisted by the Bilimoria Fishing Tackle shop in Vincent. TNPA will then issue the permits through BCASA upon receipt of bulk payments from BCASA.

“TNPA is confident that we can still uphold the international port security standards required of us, while opening up another non-sensitive area of the port for fishing,” said Sijako.

TNPA is responsible for regulating fishing in terms of the National Ports Act (12 of 2005) and the Port Regulations. Sub Rule 83 (2) of the National Ports Act provides that: A person may only swim, surf, fish or engage in water sports within port limits in areas designated for these purposes by the Authority or a person authorised by the Authority.

Image: A section of the Port of East London’s Foreshore on the West Bank has been opened to the fishing fraternity

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